The Ministry Has Fallen
by forevrfallenfromglory
Summary: The Dark has won. Harry struggles with the expectations and responsibilities thrust upon him by the rebellion. With the horcruxes gone, Voldemort has a new way to become immortal, a way more evil yet more vulnerable. New allies will be found in unlikely places, and there will be power the Dark lord knows not. Change comes when humanity is cast aside, for the greater good.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **_Inspired by a rather lovely set of images detailing the usual suspects as Wanted by Voldemort and his followers, who have taken over the Wizarding World. As this came rather suddenly to me, I haven't yet nailed down all the details, so I cannot promise regular updates. However, I will certainly try to post at least once each week. Probably on Sundays. (Yes, this is a Thursday, but I was too excited about it. :) I had to post now.) Some brief **WARNINGS** for the journey ahead: there will most likely be **language**, most definitely **violence**, of a rather violent nature. There will also be **scenes of a sexual nature** (probably **MxM**, so if that isn't your cup of tea, you may either skip those chapters or ignore the story altogether). Additional warnings include **character deaths**, both major and minor, though I haven't yet made up my mind about the more major ones._

_Thus concludes the first chapter of The Ministry Has Fallen. I hope you've enjoyed it, and will continue to enjoy as it is completed. Read, follow, review!_

_Psst...I would love it if someone made an awesome trailer for this story. If interested, PM me, and I might give you a few more details with which you can complete said trailer. If not, well...enjoy this anyways. :) Bye!_

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**Summary:**

The war has ended, with Voldemort the victor. Yet the rebellion lives on, silent, ever waiting and watching for the moment to strike. Harry struggles with the expectations and responsibilities thrust upon him, trying to inspire the rebels all while trying to strike at the Death Eaters and the Dark lord. With the horcruxes gone, a new evil has been brought to light, bringing immortality all the closer, yet all the more vulnerable. New allies will be formed in the unlikeliest of places, and blossoming romance will once again prove that there is power the Dark lord knows not.

They say that the ones best equipped to inspire change are the ones who are able to put aside their humanity for the greater good.

* * *

Excerpt from Chapter 8, "The Wedding", Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

_At that moment, something large and silver came falling through the canopy over the dance floor. Graceful and gleaming, the lynx landed lightly in the middle of the astonished dancers. Heads turned, as those nearest it froze absurdly in mid-dance. Then the Patronus' mouth opened wide and it spoke in the loud, deep, slow voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt._

"_The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."  
_J.K. Rowling

* * *

Memories flashed in the darkness. A darkened forest. Cackling laughter. A wand, pointed at him. King's Cross, bathed in white. A trembling figure curled in the fetal position beneath a bench. Dumbledore, falling from the tower – no, standing before him in full health. The darkened forest once more, and a green light. There was a woman, screaming. Screaming. And the shouted curse.

Avada Kedavra.

He was dead. There was no other explanation for the darkness that pressed down upon him. When Dumbledore had told him how to find the way out, Harry had thought he'd been choosing life. So why then was this darkness so heavy? Why wouldn't his eyes open.

His world jolted, and sound came rushing back to his ears as the smell of blood and ash and sweat assaulted his nose.

" - drop him!"

" - okay mate?"

"Hang in there!"

Green eyes blinked open, and he took in the high ceiling above him. This wasn't the forest. Where was Hagrid, and the Death Eaters, and…Voldemort? His body refused to snap up like he had wanted to, and Harry was forced to wait as feeling returned to his heavy limbs. Since his eyes were the only part of him that would currently move, he contented himself with looking as far to the left and right as he possibly could. He recognized this place. This was where Bill and Fleur lived, Shell Cottage. Yet this was not where he last remembered being. Last thing he knew, he was in the forest, and Voldemort had fired the Killing Curse at him. If he was dead, then he shouldn't be able to feel the dull ache and the sharper pains that located the numerous wounds across his body. Nor should he be lying on the couch of the living room in Shell Cottage. Movement came to him, and he turned his head to see a few people huddled around another figure lying on the ground.

"Head wound…probably lost a lot of blood." Harry recognized Hermione's voice, and relief washed over him. She was safe. He couldn't spot Ron though, which made him uneasy.

"I haven't learned very many healing spells I'm afraid," replied a softer voice. Luna gently touched the blood-encrusted fringe, her big blue eyes blinking down at the unconscious Neville Longbottom. "I won't be able to help much."

"If only I were able to get to the Hogwarts library," Hermione murmured, her tone frustrated. "I'm sure there would be books on healing charms. Well, we need to stop the bleeding anyhow, and it doesn't look terribly deep, so…Tergeo. Episkey." The blood, dried and otherwise, began to siphon away, and the wound closed slowly. "That should be good enough. St. Mungo's isn't an option right now."

Seamus Finnigan, who had also been crouched beside Neville, spoke up. "What are we going to do?" he asked, his voice low. Neither Hermione nor Luna responded for a long while.

It was Luna who spoke first. "Survive," she said, her tone a lot cheerier. "It's our only option really. I'm sure there are plenty of others who've made it out. And there are members of the Order still out there. They promised to meet us here, and help us escape."

"Escape? Why would we need to escape?" All three of the students whirled around at the sound of his rasping voice.

"Harry?" whispered Hermione. Her eyes were wide, and beginning to glisten. "Please tell me I'm not imagining this…"

Harry sat up, his muscles protesting. "Why would you be imagining this?" The air was driven from him as Hermione launched herself at him in a tight embrace, her hair filling his face. "Hermione?"

"I thought you were dead," she all but whimpered, releasing him to look at his face.

"When Hagrid brought you back in his arms…we…we thought the worst had happened," she said softly. "You were so pale, so _cold_…and you had no pulse. Neville was the one who brought you here." She waved a hand at the prone figure. "But he passed out within moments of carrying you through the door. This was the safest place we could think of, what with Grimmauld Place being compromised and all…"

Harry looked around, confused. "Why are we in Bill and Fleur's cottage?" he asked, bewildered. "Shouldn't we be out fighting? Voldemort is still out there!"

"Oh, Harry…" Hermione looked down. "People lost the will to fight when they saw you lying there. There was a battle, but it only lasted for an hour before people began to surrender. Most were students trying to save their skins and hoping that Voldemort would be merciful. Only the purebloods and halfbloods survived though." She squeezed her eyes shut, looking sickened. Luna touched her shoulder sympathetically.

"All of the muggleborns were lined up and slaughtered," Seamus continued for Hermione. His blue eyes darkened. "A few managed to escape, but the known muggleborns were called out by some of the others in an effort to please You-Know-Who. We lost a few members of the D.A."

Harry's mouth was dry, and licking his lips didn't help. "Who?" he asked, dreading the answers.

"We won't know for a while yet. But I know Justin Finch-Fletchley was a victim. I saw him get his throat cut." Seamus' eyes shut, mirroring Hermione's horror-stricken expression.

"Colin Creevey is dead too," Hermione whispered. "But it wasn't during the 'purging' of the muggleborns. He went down during the battle." Harry's stomach clenched, and his fists curled into white-knuckled balls.

"I'll kill him," he said between gritted teeth. "I swear I'm going back there, and I'm going to kill him."

"It's too late to go back now," Hermione insisted. "It was all we could do to get out of there with you. The Order is doing their best to rescue the surviving muggleborns and those targeted by the Death Eaters. Voldemort apparated away as soon as he'd ordered the muggleborns to be killed."

"Why didn't anybody go after him? It isn't as though he has any horcruxes left!"

With a sideways glance to Seamus and Luna, who were a bit confused by the term, Hermione reluctantly responded. "Neville did manage to kill Nagini," she said slowly. "But Voldemort had numerous wards surrounding him. He knew what we were doing with his horcruxes. He had protective measures in place. By the time we were able to even organize our thoughts enough to attack him, the battle was over. There was nothing we could do. Not if we wanted to survive to fight another day."

Harry buried his face in his hands. "Slaughtered," he murmured. "Turned in by their friends and slaughtered like animals…"

"Some survived," Hermione reminded him gently. He looked up at her, his eyes blazing with hidden fire.

"I'm glad some survived. Really, Hermione, I am. But I will never forgive what Voldemort and his followers have done. Never." He drew in a shuddering breath. "Where is everyone else then? You said this was the safest place?"

"Safest for us to apparate to. I told Tonks to meet us here. The others went into hiding. We know where a few are heading, but there's a lot of others who we won't be seeing for a long time."

"Where's Ron?" He held his breath anxiously, almost afraid for the answer.

Hermione's face was grave. "The entire Weasley family went back to the Burrow for now. The wards there were rebuilt, so they should hold for a little while. They lost a few members during the battle. Ron's with them now." Seeing the unspoken question in Harry's eyes, she sighed. "They lost Charlie during the first part of the battle, before you went to meet Voldemort in the forest. Percy died saving Fred when a part of the wall fell. And after you were brought back…" Her eyes watered and a tear slipped down her cheek. "A few people stood up against Voldemort. Neville was one of them, but we've managed to heal his burns and that head wound of his. He was the lucky one. The others who tried to duel Voldemort didn't…didn't make it. Harry, Ginny's dead."

Time seemed to stop. Harry stared at Hermione, his throat tight and chest aching. _Ginny_. The fiery redhead who'd bravely stood up to the Carrows all year, who'd done nothing but support him from the moment he'd saved her in the Chamber, who he'd fallen in love with steadily for the last year, separated though they were. _Gone_.

"Dead?" he repeated hoarsely. Hermione reached out and hugged him again.

"I'm so sorry," she cried, the pain of losing her friend choking her voice.

"How?" Harry asked. "Was it quick?"

Seamus spoke up, his voice quiet. "She took a Killing curse for Dean Thomas. She knew what she was doing."

"She and Dean used to have a connection," Harry said hollowly. "She probably remembered that. Is Dean okay?"

"Bellatrix got him from behind when he went to check Ginny's body." Anger colored the sorrow in Seamus' voice. "He never saw it coming."

"They died quickly and bravely," Luna said quietly from her position on the floor. "There was no pain for them." Harry only nodded, grief making him unable to speak.

"The Weasley's took it hard," Hermione continued. "Ron naturally is blaming himself for letting Ginny run forward like that. Not that he could have stopped her – you know how Ginny was."

"It wasn't his fault," Harry agreed sadly. "She never did listen to him." They all fell silent for a moment. "So now what?"

"Now, we go into hiding. We-"

Hermione's voice was cut off. There was the crack of apparition, and Tonks strode forward, Lupin's arm slung around her shoulders. He leaned heavily on her, blood streaming from a gash in his thigh. Both blinked at the sight of Harry.

"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks grinned at him. "I must say I'm surprised to see you alive and well. And yet, we are talking about Harry Potter after all, the Boy Who Lived. You would be the one person to survive the Killing curse not once but twice. You'll have to save the story for later though." The grin slipped from her face. "I'm afraid our location's been compromised. I came here only to warn you, and to bring you to our next location." Several sharp pops outside warned them of impending danger, and Tonks dragged Lupin forward with her.

"Hello, Harry," he said, breathless with pain. "Like Tonks said, we'll have to wait to hear your story. For now, all of you grab this." He pulled out a coat hanger, which they all reached out to touch. Seamus dragged Neville up with him, holding tightly to the unconscious young man. With Lupin's whispered password, the familiar tugging yanked them away. Shell Cottage faded as they Portkeyed to safety. A few flashes of light shone in the now empty cottage, and the few Death Eaters milled about, having just missed their quarry by seconds. The Dark lord would not be pleased.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I am awful with European geography, and I've never had the pleasure of visiting England. Please forgive me if there are inaccuracies with the geography mentioned in this chapter (as well as subsequent chapters). I mean no offense, and I did attempt to research a few places, to be on the safe side. :) The story will start to pick up within the next chapter or so, but for now, enjoy this chapter!

* * *

The first thing Harry noticed when the world stopped spinning was the amount of _green_. He turned, taking in their surroundings. Soft green foothills surrounded them, with a large lake reflecting the clouds above nestled amongst them. He spotted several tents pitched relatively near the water, several figures milling about and ducking in and out of tents. Here and there, more people portkeyed in.

"Where are we?" asked Hermione. Lupin answered her, still leaning against Tonks.

"We're near Scafell Pike," he replied. "A bit random, granted, but the Order has spent several months making this place Unplottable, as well as heavily warding it against You-Know-Who and his death eaters. We are planning on securing it under the Fidelius Charm eventually, but in light of recent death eater activity, we held off on doing so, for the sake of any refugees from the war. However, rest assured that there are wards against simply apparating here. You have to have a portkey that is keyed in, as well as the password to activate them."

"But couldn't a death eater torture a portkey holder for the password?" Hermione frowned. "It would be too easy to figure out who else holds a portkey."

"There is a distress password set on them," Tonks answered. "Those of us holding portkeys know the danger they present. If we ever were compromised, we'd only need to speak the other password, and the portkey would self-destruct. Whoever was in possession of the portkey would no doubt be subject to torment and death, but such a fate would be far better than to doom all of the Wizarding world."

"And muggles alike," Hermione added. Harry glanced at her.

"Actually, I doubt Voldemort will attempt to enslave the muggles," he mused. "Even though he believes them to be inferior, he's still afraid of them. He grew up in an orphanage remember? He remembers how muggles are afraid of the unknown. Plus, they've got advancements in technology that we don't have. He wouldn't want to risk stirring up more trouble than it's worth."

"I think you've got a point," Lupin agreed. "You-Know-Who has his sights on one goal – to cleanse the Wizarding world of what he deems filth, and to restore the Wizarding world to its former glory, with him as his leader. The muggle world does not interest him."

"Well, can't we go hide out in the muggle world?" Seamus piped up.

Surprisingly, it was Neville who answered, having awoken at last. "And put innocent people in danger?" he asked. His eyes widened upon seeing Harry, but he refrained from commenting. "Before, the death eaters attacked the muggles to invoke a fear response in the wizards and witches. The muggles didn't have an explanation for it all, but by now, they're sure to have passed it off as a natural occurrence. If we were to try to blend into the muggle world, Voldemort would know, and then he really would attack them, in order to get to us. By running to the muggles, we make it worth the effort to try to eradicate them."

"So now we must make the best of our situation. Ron, Hermione and I have managed to stay hidden and on the run for several months now. This shouldn't be too different." Harry shrugged.

"There were only three of us, not half a nation," Hermione reminded him. "How many people know about this place?"

"Right now, just the Order and a few others from the Ministry. We did our best to get as many out from Hogwarts as possible. There are other safe camps set up at other locations, but this is our new headquarters, if you will. You weren't the only ones busy these last few months," Tonks explained, as the group finally began to make their way towards the campsite. "The Order has been busy squirreling away those threatened by You-Know-Who and the death eaters. The other camps are keeping muggleborn families safe, as well as several other families deemed bloodtraitors."

"Like she said, this is our new headquarters," Lupin continued. "We had a few outside members within the Ministry and from St. Mungo's and the like, so we shouldn't be too short on people here. If anything, I'd say things are about to get pretty crowded, once everyone gets here. We've stocked up on emergency supplies, but those will be used up eventually. One can only hope they last us for a while. At least until we can mobilize some raiding parties."

The group fell silent as they entered the camp. Almost immediately, Kingsley Shacklebolt approached them. "The last words that Albus Dumbledore said to the pair of us," he said, brandishing his wand. "What were they?"

"Harry is the best hope we have. Trust him," replied Lupin tiredly. Kingsley nodded and put his wand away before stepping forward to take over supporting his weight. Tonks grateful sank out from under her husband's heavy arm.

"Hit with a cutting hex," she explained. "I haven't had time to mend it."

"No matter. We have a medical station set up a few tents away," Kingsley replied. "Those of you who are injured, follow me. That includes you, Potter. I don't know how you managed it, but I must say, seeing you alive and kicking is quite the relief. You're going to be bombarded with questions once people notice you."

"I know," Harry replied with a sigh. "I'm used to it, sir."

"I'm rather used to the lack of explanations," Neville joked. "Not this time though. You owe us one, Harry." Nodding, Harry promised to do so once they were inside.

Thankfully, people were too busy bustling about, nursing minor injuries and whispering with one another. The group was able to duck into a tent without gathering attention.

"Explain to me why Mr. Potter is standing in my tent, very much alive and very much not dead, as I was told." Madame Pomfrey came forward, relief on her face.

"It's a rather confusing story," Harry began. "I'm not quite sure of everything myself-"

"Hold on a moment, dear," interrupted the nurse, as she noticed the blood caking Lupin's leg. "Remus, what _have_ you done to yourself."

"Caught off guard by a death eater," he grimaced, as Kingsley helped him to a chair. "Seems to be a simple slicing hex though, nothing too serious."

"I'll be the judge of that," Pomfrey retorted, as she waved her wand over him. "Although it would seem you are right. Nothing a few healing charms won't fix." In moments, the wound was closing up. A few more flicks of the wand repaired the tear in Lupin's clothing. "There you are then. Now. Mr. Potter, if you would be so kind…"

Harry stepped forward, taking Lupin's place. The mediwitch again waved her wand over him, the diagnostic spells appearing in the air before her. "Well, it would seem you are in perfect health, if a bit underweight. Though I daresay that would be due to your escapades across the English countryside these past few months?" She gazed sternly at him. "Still, that can be amended, if our rations are able to hold up anyway. Moving on then. Do explain to me how it is that you seemingly died and were left without a pulse, yet are now standing before me?"

Harry shrugged. "It's kind of a long story," he said uneasily. "And there are some want you all to swear on your magic not to reveal this information to anyone else." The adults gazed at him for a few short moments, before Kingsley pulled out his wand, shrugging.

"I trust you, Harry," he said simply. "I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, do hereby swear on my magic to never divulge the information revealed by Mr. Potter at this moment." His wand tip glowed for a moment, then faded. The others followed his example.

Satisfied, Harry continued. First, he explained what Horcruxes were, and then revealed that Voldemort had in fact created several Horcruxes. His audience listened in horrified silence, while Hermione glanced around at each expression. "So after we destroyed the locket and the cup, we figured out that the next likely artifact would be Ravenclaw's diadem, which we assumed would be hidden at Hogwarts, which it was. Goyle's fiendfyre spell destroyed the diadem along with the Room of Requirement, which was a shame. All we had left after that was Nagini, or so we thought." Harry grimaced at the next memory. "After Voldemort turned on Snape, he left, and we were able to collect the memories Snape gave us as he died. That was when we learned that there was one more Horcrux – me." Lupin coughed, startled.

"The night my parents were killed…the night I survived the Killing curse, Voldemort's spell rebounded off me and destroyed him, thanks to the protection of my mother's love. However, Dumbledore suspected that a small piece of Voldemort's soul was torn from him that night, and that was why I have this scar upon my forehead. While I was viewing Snape's memories, I learned that the only way to defeat Voldemort would be for me to willingly accept death." Harry shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Hermione, who stared back at him keenly.

"I was willing to do whatever it took to defeat him. I had hoped that by having him destroy his own Horcrux, it'd weaken him enough for the rest of you to take him down. I guess things didn't work out. I mean, we accomplished what we'd set out to do," here, he looked at Hermione, who pursed her lips and nodded, "but it would seem he wasn't as weakened as we'd hoped. However, since my dying was an effort to strike at Voldemort, it apparently didn't count as a real death. Since I died for everyone else, I must have recreated another version of my mother's blood protection."

"Which then allowed Voldemort to destroy the Horcrux inside of you without killing you in the process," Hermione guessed, nodding primly. Harry returned the nod.

Everyone else had been silent to this point. Luna finally spoke up. "So he's no longer immortal then?" she asked.

"He's as mortal as you and I," Harry confirmed. "But now, it looks like we won't get another shot at him; he'll be surrounded by the Death Eaters and now the rest of the people he forces into service."

"Well, then, we'll have to fight to get to him." Neville allowed Madame Pomfrey to run her diagnostic spell on him, before her wand moved through the air, healing his wounds. "We can't let that maniac rule over the Wizarding world. And we don't want him creating any more Horcuxes. It will be easy for him to do."

"But he knows we know about them," Hermione mused. "He knows they're vulnerable, and that we'd destroy them if we have the chance. Either the protections on them will be upped – very much so – or he'll find another way to achieve immortality. The Horcruxes were his secret, but they are a secret no longer."

Harry shrugged. "I guess we'll figure that out when we get to that point."

For a few more minutes, they continued discussing what could possibly be in their future. Finally, the young students were excused, leaving the adults to talk in peace.

As the four left the medical tent, Harry spotted a shock of red hair. Ron and the Weasley family were slowly making their way through the tents. To the right, someone shouted, "It's Harry Potter!"

Shouts of "He's alive?" and "The Boy-Who-Lived!" filled the air, as Harry pushed past the crowd beginning to form. The small crowd hushed, however, as Harry came face to face with Ron, Hermione standing just behind him.

For a moment, the two best friends just gazed at each other, disbelief and heartbreak in Ron's eyes, and simple grief in Harry's. Understanding encompassed the both of them, and they suddenly embraced roughly. "I thought you were dead, mate," Ron said, his voice muffled where it was buried in Harry's shoulder. "The thought of losing you _and_ Charlie, Percy, and Ginny…"

"I know," Harry said softly. His eyes burned with unshed tears. Around them, the crowd dispersed, allowing the two a moment alone. There would be time to celebrate their hero's survival later. For now, the time to grieve was at hand.

"What are we going to do, Harry?" Ron's voice was broken. The two separated, and Hermione stepped forward. Ron hugged her to him tightly, finding comfort in her as well. Harry let them embrace for a moment, before he too stepped forward and joined the hug.

"We'll fight, Ron," he said, determination coloring his words. "We'll fight, and show Voldemort that he hasn't broken us, that he never will. We'll make him pay for the evil he's caused, and when we do, there will be the devil to pay."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Sorry there was no update last week. I had a family matter that needed taking care of, and I didn't want to just rush the chapter and thus sacrifice quality.

Longer chapter this time, so yay! Also - there will be OOC-ness in this story. I will warn you about this now. Not terribly drastic, but things like Luna no longer being the dreamy, innocent person she's always been, and Harry being far harsher than he used to be. This is a war, and they are rebels - war changes people. If you don't like their personality shifts, you don't have to read. I personally think I still kept quite a bit of their underlying personalities, despite some harsher changes to their mannerisms.

That said, yes, events are still building up, but if I remember correctly, there will be more action next time around. This chapter was meant to set up their new way of living. :) Hope you enjoy! Please leave a review and let me know what you think! 

* * *

Six years.

For six, long years, they had been in hiding. He would laugh directly in the face of anyone who even dared think for one moment that the life of a rebel was exciting and dangerously fun. Yes, the occasional duel and heart-pounding moment of escaping from the recently established Enforcers made life a bit exciting.

It would surprise most then that a life in hiding was rather dull.

Harry held his breath unnecessarily as the Enforcer brushed past his nook. The heavy-duty Disillusionment spell combined with his carefully honed skills would keep the man from detecting him, unless he was part werewolf. In which case, Harry knew he'd be sniffed out immediately. Nonetheless, the small, rational part of him was still unfamiliar with the whole concept of stealth and though he knew he'd only be discovered on a stroke of very bad luck, Harry still felt the tiny thrill of fear, and it was this fear that bid him to hold his breath.

It helped to calm him, somewhat, as the thin, weepy-eyed man stopped, his gaze sweeping the area. A second Enforcer joined the first, this one considerably larger. "Where'd he go?" The first man shrugged, brow furrowed. "You lost him?" The larger Enforcer towered over the smaller man, but to his credit, the thin man didn't cower or budge.

"If he's one o' them Nixes, he's got more tricks up his sleeve than the usual folk we catch wandering around after curfew. Keep your eyes and ears open, Al."

Al glared down at the smaller man for a few more seconds, then relented. "Fine, but if we get in trouble with the uppers, I'm putting it all on you."

"Fair enough." The thin man glanced around them. "And if we _do_ catch him, I'm taking all the credit. It's only fair, if I get all the blame." Al protested, but the other man didn't respond. Instead, he pulled out his wand.

"If you're gonna catch a Nix, you gotta think like a Nix," he said in a low voice. "Homenum Revelio." Harry gritted his teeth, hand clenched around the wand.

"Absconditus," he whispered. The counter spell washed over him only moments before he felt the revealing charm hit him. Again, Harry held his breath, but just as it had during training, the counter spell worked, and the revealing charm turned up nothing.

"He must be farther ahead than we thought," the thin man mused. Al scratched his head.

"Or he apparated."

"We didn't hear anything though."

"If he really was a Nix, then he would have cast a silencing charm," Al said defensively. "You said to think like a Nix, didn't you?" He received a sharp stinging hex, upon which he yelped.

"Don't use my words against me," the other Enforcer snarled. "Fine, we lost him. Wish we'd have gotten a tracking spell off on him; could've taught him why it's not smart to break curfew. Let's finish our rounds, then go at least report to the boss, even if we have nothing to show for it. He'll understand. It's the Shadow of the Phoenix we're talking about. They're nothing but tricky, the lot of them. If only our High lord had eliminated them all when he had the chance."

"Talk like that will get you the Cruciatus," Al warned. Their voices faded as they continued their rounds down the street.

Harry waited for another five minutes to make sure they were really gone. Breathing a sigh of relief, he continued his own way down the street, keeping to the shadows. He was close to his destination, but chose to take an extra half hour winding around blocks and through alleys, always keeping a careful eye on his surroundings. Finally, he stopped in front of a building, and climbed the steps. Knowing he had already tripped the wards surrounding the building and alerted its owner, he tapped his wand against the center of the scuffed wooden door, hearing a muffle click. Having been keyed in by his magical signature, Harry entered the house just as Luna approached.

"You're later than you normally are," she said in greeting. "Were you followed?"

Harry nodded. "I Apparated to town right as a patrol was going by." He grimaced. "Hopefully, they were just early. New patrol times would only be a nuisance. It was only two Enforcers though; they didn't have any fresh recruits with them."

"And Neville?"

"Coming down a different path with your delivery." Luna nodded, then motioned for Harry to follow her. He did so, rolling his shoulders tiredly as they walked up a narrow set of stairs. "How many this week?"

"Just the one family I told you about, plus a loner. Special case, that one. Her neighbors found her out and turned her in for the reward. Her mum was killed in the process. There was no one else living in the house with them. As it were, we barely got her out before the Eliminators arrived. People are getting desperate enough to turn on each other."

"People always turn on each other; it isn't a matter of desperation." Harry's tone was grim, as they stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway. "That's human nature. We're selfish enough to always be thinking about how to better ourselves."

"Living in the times we are only make it worse though," Luna pointed out. "Perfectly good people will change for the worse if pushed hard enough. Each day the Dark lord is in power is another day in which conditions become tougher, even for the purest of blood. Only those in the Elite have a life worth living. People make the best of the situation as they can. If that means turning in a friend just to have another week of food, then so be it."

Harry looked over at the blonde. She smiled reassuringly at him. "But then, that's what makes the Shadow of the Phoenix a symbol of hope. We've kept our humanity, maintained our morals for the most part – training is the only questionable bit – and we provide sanctuary and comfort to those who ask. People are starting to become more and more sympathetic to our cause."

"Could have fooled me. For all the refugees, there aren't many new recruits willing to go on the front lines. Scratch that, there aren't many new recruits because most can't even last through training." Harry sighed. "Speaking of refugees, let's get these ones to safety."

Luna pushed the door open, revealing a heavily warded, simply furnished room full of beds. Most were empty and neatly made, while a few showed signs of inhabitants. A young girl and a boy, twins that looked to be around 8 or 9, laughed as they jumped between two beds, while their teenaged sister quietly knitted, smiling happily at their antics. Their mother was conversing softly with another young woman with a sad and weary face, and the father was carving as he listened to their conversation.

"The parents are Muggles," Luna said quietly. "They knew she was special growing up, with all the unexplainable events caused by accidental magic, but they never guessed that Elena was magical." She pointed out the young teen to Harry. "Since there are no school letters being sent out to Muggleborns anymore, they didn't figure out until a month ago that she was a witch. They only found out when the Eliminators showed up." Harry nodded in understanding; such a case was becoming more and more common as the years passed. "Fortunately, one of our informants found out about the family, and warned us. We got there just in time, but it was quite the fight. The kids weren't too shaken up though. They were fascinated by the pretty lights."

Luna looked back at the family. "You'll have to explain stuff to them, about why they have to go into hiding. I explained what I could about the history of the Wizarding world, so they know about the first war and Grindelwald, and how the Dark lord is worse than he is. They know about the Death Eaters and how most became Eliminators, and they know how some of the half-bloods chose to become Enforcers to try to raise their status, but they don't fully understand why _they_ have to hide while others don't."

With a sigh, Harry looked over at the six refugees. "Someone at Headquarters will be able to explain it properly to them," he said. "I'm sick of the explanations, frankly." He lowered his voice. "Six years, Luna. We've been fighting for six years, and we're no closer to our goal. I hate having to see families torn apart, and I hate having to explain to them that the majority of our world sees them as no higher than animals." Harry ran a hair through his hair. "Sorry; I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." Luna cut him off with a small smile. "We're all tired. I know. I _get_ it. But I also know we're not about to just give up. We've fought too hard for everything to just give up. We'll figure things out eventually." She cocked her head suddenly, her shoulders tensing. "The wards just went off." The momentary tension drained from her, and she relaxed. "It's just Neville." Harry relaxed as well, having reacted similarly. "I'll go meet him in the front hall and collect the ingredients from him. You get the family ready for transport."

"Tell Neville I'll be down in a moment," he grinned, knowing the two planned to steal a private moment before he came down with the refugees. "That is, if you remember to."

"I still need a few human samples for testing, and you would make a fine specimen," she quipped, at which Harry only grinned further. "Wipe that silly smile off your face, and just get them ready. You don't want to miss your chance between patrols."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry said with a mock salute. Luna quirked an eyebrow at him, but otherwise ignored the mockery as she left the room. Harry turned back to the room, and approached the parents and older girl. He noted the deep sadness in the young woman's eyes, but didn't comment. Instead, he looked over at the father, who set down the small lump of wood in his hands and stood.

"Are you Alistair?" the man asked. "Luna said you were one of the leaders of the rebellion." Harry nodded, recognizing the pseudo-name he went by. It wasn't common knowledge that Harry Potter had survived the Purging, and to all but those stationed at Headquarters, Harry Potter was dead. It was only a matter of time before someone recognized him, but Harry wanted to remain anonymous as long as possible – after all, being dead made it easier for him to sneak around and gave him time to figure out how to kill the Dark lord once and for all. Voldemort would not rest until he had killed Harry if he knew. Things were dangerous enough as a rebel; Harry himself was already in danger because he was Alistair Hunter, leader of the Nixes. He didn't need an enraged Dark lord after him in addition to everything else he had going on.

"I'm Alistair," Harry greeted, his hand outstretched. The man shook it heartily.

"Clarence Richardson. This is my wife, Naomi. The girl over there is my daughter Kendra and the two little ones are Katie and Keith."

"I'm Johanna Trent," spoke up the young woman. Harry nodded at her.

"It's nice to meet you all. I take it Luna has told you why I'm here?"

Johanna nodded her head, but Naomi glanced at her husband. "She did, but I don't really understand it all. I know those men meant to kill us – that much is clear, and Luna explained to us about Kendra's magic." She said the word in awe, as though it was all so foreign to her. It probably was, Harry reminded himself. Luna had said Johanna had been living with her mother and her neighbors had turned them in, which meant they had been living as witches. He'd wager a guess that she had been living on her own before the war, but had brought her mother to live with her in an effort to protect her. It was sad, really, that things had turned out the way they had.

Naomi continued, breaking through his thoughts. "But why do they want to kill us? What have we done to them?"

"You exist," Harry said bluntly. "The man who rules this world is a very evil man; he is more monster than human now. He believes only those who come from a long line of magic are worth existing. Those who are not magic by blood, but have, as he puts it, 'stolen their magic' are nothing more than thieves who present a danger to our society and must therefore be eliminated, like a common pest."

"And this 'Dark lord', as Luna called him…he has people who feel the same way following him?"

Harry nodded. "You escaped from some of them, didn't you?" The couple nodded. "The ones sent to kill you are called Eliminators. Once, they were called Death Eaters, and they were not nearly as fearsome as they are now – they're much, much crueler and bolder than they once were. I've been fighting them since I was in my 4th year at Hogwarts, which used to be a school for magical students. After Voldemort took over, he made them into the strike force they are today. A lot of the pureblood wizards and witches chose to become Enforcers – they're like his version of our police force. They make sure people don't break curfew, enter restricted areas, and make sure that the halfbloods never enter the pureblood areas. They also report and capture any Muggleborns they find and turn them over to the Eliminators to be…destroyed. They're quite good at what they do – there are rewards for anyone who turns in a Muggleborn, and even greater rewards for becoming an Enforcer. Only the strongest, most magically gifted, or smartest are accepted though. As dumb as lot of the lower ranks can be, they are still a deadly and very efficient force. They can track almost anybody once they know their magical signature."

Naomi paled. "How haven't they found us yet then?" she asked, her voice a near-whisper. "The Eliminators saw us escaping!" Harry smiled reassuringly.

"Just like the Eliminators and Enforcers, we also have our own strike force," he said, his voice proud. "We have special teams, called Blitzers, designed to go in and help evacuate Muggleborns and their families. They're the most proficient with stealth, offensive and defensive magic and even weapons and hand-to-hand combat. They're good at what they do. When you were evacuated, they were able to cast spells that prevented you from being tracked. We have a few people back at Headquarters who are constantly researching and reworking spells to help us fight back, and again, they are good at what they do.

"Then there are the Recon agents – those who run solo or in pairs are called Rangers, while the Sweepers stay in groups. I'm a Ranger. I usually work by myself unless I'm transporting refugees; I feel partners are more of a liability. It is my job to smuggle people like you to safe camps and smuggle supplies to our safe houses. Luna, as you know, runs this safe house, but outwardly, she is a Potions Master. She supplies us with necessary potions of course, but if her house is ever searched, that is all the Enforcers will ever be able to find. The wards that we've placed here will make sure of that."

Clarence looked over where the twins were still playing. "Luna may be safe here, especially with these wards you're talking about. But you're a leader; you've got to be pretty well known as the leader of the Phoenixes. Wouldn't it be dangerous for you to leave your Headquarters?"

Harry shrugged. "I may be a leader, but I can't simply sit around and let others endanger themselves on my orders. And actually, no one outside of the Phoenixes has ever seen me and remembered my face – we erase memories where we need to. I have a few aliases for when I need to use them. It really isn't any more dangerous for me to be in the field than it is for any other agent, and it isn't like I'm alone. There are lots of Recon teams out there besides the specific ones I told you about, and we don't really have names for them. Some steal supplies when we need them, others scout for information or scout for new recruits. We have a surprising amount of moles within the system, more than I had originally hoped to have. It really is a lot more efficient than you would think."

The adults looked torn between being impressed and being confused. Johanna, on the other hand, looked interested, fire burning in her warm brown eyes. "And you take on new recruits often?" she asked, fists clenched. Harry met her eyes.

"We try to, yes," he replied. "But the testing is hard – you have to undergo intensive training to even apply to be a Phoenix. We even put trainees through torture sessions, to make sure they can be trusted with inside information, although we heal them afterwards," he added, seeing the couple's horrified reactions. "If you don't make it, we wipe your memories of training and even of the Shadow of the Phoenix itself – no loose ends, you see. We really only increase our numbers by about 10 or fewer recruits a month, if that."

"I want to join."

Harry crossed his arms. "You heard me, yes? It isn't easy becoming a new recruit. You have to be able to follow orders without question, and many parts of training will be very painful."

"I want to join." Johanna's eyes were brimming with unshed tears, but she lifted her chin. Clarence and Naomi were quiet, their eyes focused on her. "I watched my mother die before my eyes. I want nothing more than for this dark time to end, so that no one else has to watch their entire world fall apart in the blink of an eye." She stepped closer, lowering her voice so Naomi and Clarence wouldn't hear. "And I'm not blind. I went to Hogwarts. I know who you really are."

Harry stepped back abruptly, caught off guard. Johanna looked intently at him. "I've seen you before," she said. "I was in my fourth year when things fell apart. And I always had hope, even when it seemed there was none. Who else would have been able to survive what you did?"

Harry had drawn his wand, to the couple's alarm, and was forming the spell 'Obliviate', when Johanna grabbed his arm. "Harry," she whispered. "Please. Don't. Don't take away the only hope I have left. Let me apply for training, and see if I have what it takes. If I fail, then fine. Erase my memory. But until then, I promise, I won't reveal your secret."

She gazed steadily at him, not looking away as Harry searched her eyes. He saw nothing but honesty and determination, and after a long moment, he nodded. "Fine. But if I think for even one second there is any doubt in you, I will not hesitate to erase your memories. I'll bring you back to Headquarters myself, once Neville and I have helped the Richardson's to safety. Do you have a wand?"

Johanna nodded. "Luna took it for safekeeping, and I let her. I understand how hard it is to trust anyone these days."

"Fair enough. Since we're going to Headquarters, I'm sure you'll understand why you won't get it back until after we've interviewed you with Veritaserum." Again, she nodded. "Once we've determined you're telling the truth, you'll get it back and your training will start."

"You won't trust me even though I'm Muggleborn?"

"Unlike the Enforcers, we don't test your blood. We don't care what your blood status is." Harry said. His eyes hardened. "So we can only take you at your word. Veritaserum and Legilimency are the only ways we have of divining whether you are telling the truth. Do you understand?"

"I get it."

"Good. Now, let's head downstairs. Neville and Luna will have finished their business by now."

"We did." Harry turned, as Neville walked into the room, followed by Luna. "Why so serious, Alistair?" Neville asked, grinning at Harry. The latter shrugged, a grin slipping onto his face.

"We've got a new possible recruit," he said, jabbing his thumb at Johanna while he slipped his wand back into its holster. Neville approached her and studied her for a moment, before nodding to her.

"Pleasure to meet you." Neville turned back to Harry. "Ready to go?" Harry nodded, and motioned to Clarence.

"Gather your things. We'll be Apparating right outside – we won't make you move through town – but you'll all have to be quiet. We wouldn't want to draw attention."

"Aren't there wards for that?" asked Johanna. "To hide us from the public view?"

"There are, but they work best when we try our best to accommodate them," Luna put in. She smiled at the girl. "You better gather your things too. You won't have much use for them at Headquarters, as we provide you with what you need, but they'll make your tent feel more like home." Johanna nodded and went to pack.

Harry turned to Luna. "Let us know if you need anything between now and next week. Otherwise, I'll wait for your message about new refugees." The blonde nodded.

"Best of luck getting back." She smiled softly at Neville. "Remember to let me know if anything changes. I know you said last time that Hermione thinks Voldemort found another way to immortality."

Harry nodded. "He wouldn't use Horcruxes again – he knows that we know about them. She's researching other ways to achieve immortality, but so far, she's found nothing."

"Are she and Ron still fighting?"

He rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately yes, only this time, I don't have the time or the energy to be the middle man. They're working it out on their own, but suffice to say they have agreed that a relationship between the two of them simply won't work. They're too different. I give it a week or so before they're back on speaking terms though."

"Well, we can't ask for miracles." Luna sighed. "It's for the best though." Harry agreed, as Clarence, Naomi, Johanna and the kids approached. "Very well, it's time for you to be off. Let the patrol pass before you leave; it shouldn't be more than a few minutes now." Neville and Harry drew their wands once more, and the group trudged downstairs. For a few minutes, Luna peered through the windows, before she nodded. "There goes the patrol. You're good to go."

Neville pressed a soft kiss to Luna's cheek, before opening the door. The group crowded onto the front step, the family taking Neville's arm and Johanna taking Harry's and with the crack of Apparition, they vanished, leaving Luna to close the door behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** My apologies again for the long wait. It's been a very chaotic last few weeks, but hopefully I'll be able to get back into the swing of things and have regular updates soon. Had a small bit of writer's block, but I worked hard on this chapter for you. Action will be picking up soon (next chapter?), but there is still a bit of set up left. :) Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Please, leave reviews so I can know if this is worth continuing! Otherwise, I may stop and delete it altogether. :/ Not sure if I want to continue or not. Anyhoo, enjoy!

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"Sirs, Athena asked that you visit her upon your return. She says it's urgent."

Harry suppressed the urge to shove the man to the side, and instead nodded with a simple, "Thank you," before continuing down the row of tents. Not even five seconds had passed after their appearance before yet another messenger had waylaid him. It was like they knew when he'd be Apparating into Headquarters. He sighed, looking over as Neville addressed him.

"I wonder what she wants…"

He and Harry shared a look briefly, before Neville turned to Johanna. "Welcome to Headquarters and all that jazz. I'll take you to a tent and we'll get you settled in for the time being. Your wand will be returned to you after you are validated." He glanced back at Harry. "I'll have to leave you there for now, though; it would seem there is a matter that requires our attention."

"Who's Athena?" Johanna furrowed her brow and then shrugged. "Unless that's top secret rebel information."

Harry scratched at the stubble coating his chin. "Athena is one of our researchers," he said slowly. "One of the best. That is all I can tell you at the moment."

The more people who knew Athena's true identity, the more dangerous it became for her. Athena was already well known as the best source of information and the top researcher and had already survived a few attempts on her life – as had Neville and Harry. All of the leaders and prominent members had. It was why they were constantly moving camps, why there were several Headquarters set up as bait. Now, it was never easy to tell where the leaders would be at any given moment and it provided more security for them. The hassle was worth it.

But if it were common knowledge that Hermione Granger had not, in fact, disappeared years before, and that she was the infamous Athena of the Nixes, then the attempts on her life would grow in number, and that information would find its way back to Voldemort. She would be in as much danger as Harry would be if his own survival got out.

Pulling aside a tent flap, Neville motioned inside, and the three of them ducked under the flap, blinking as their eyes adjusted to the darker interior. "This is home for the next few days while we validate you," Neville said. Johanna stepped to the small cot, dropping her bag down before she sat beside it.

"Am I a prisoner for now?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"No," Harry said. "But you will be under surveillance. You understand, of course. The validation process will be quick and painless, don't worry."

"That's not the part I worry about," Johanna muttered. "I only hope I can make it through the training. It's what I want now, more than anything else. I don't mind being held prisoner until then."

Harry shrugged. "It's too late to turn back now, so whatever doubts you have about training need to be put aside, or you _won't_ back it through. Good luck, Johanna. I truly hope you have what it takes. I'll check in with you after you're validated and training starts."

Receiving an affirmative nod from her, he turned and exited the tent, Neville ducking out after him. After a word with the wizard standing outside, he hurried his pace until he fell in line beside Harry.

"She'll be taken care of until they begin validating her," he informed the other young man. "She'll be fine, you know. I haven't seen a recruit with that much determination in a long time. It's personal to her." Harry agreed, his fists clenching.

"It shouldn't have been made personal," he said quietly.

"But H-Alistair, aren't you glad to have a new recruit? We need all the help we can get if we're going to ever get anywhere with this rebellion."

"Don't get me wrong; I'm glad. It's just…"

Neville paused in his steps, his gaze sorrowful. "War makes orphans," he reminded Harry gently. "War breaks apart families and loved ones. And unless we do something about it, all of this pain and death is going to continue. The Phoenixes can't save everyone. Not even you can."

"Athena said she had news for us." Harry's fists clenched tighter, and he strode forward, forcing Neville to speed up again to catch up. The other looked intently at him, but Harry kept his face expressionless, not allowing Neville to read his emotions easily.

"Just…promise you'll stop being so hard on yourself. Athena worries for you…we all do," Neville murmured. Harry ignored him, turning aside when they reached their destination. For all intents and purposes, it looked like an ordinary tent, but as Harry and Neville moved through the entrance, there was a warping of the air around them, the wards sensing their magical signature, and the illusion shifted. The interior grew in size, until they were standing in a massive space full of Transfigured bookshelves covered in books and stacks of parchment, quills and inkpots. A few tables rested in the middle of the tent accompanied by benches, cluttered with more parchment and other research paraphernalia. Over one of these tables huddled Hermione, who looked up at their arrival.

"You're back!" she crowed, setting aside her quill and standing to greet the two. She hugged Neville, then turned to Harry and hugged him as well. "You're late though; did you get the refugees out?"

Neville nodded. "We dropped them off at one of the camps. They'll be fine. We even brought back a new recruit." Hermione smiled at the news.

"Good. We can use all the help we can get."

"That's what I said," Neville laughed. "Sorry we're late. We Apparated in right as a patrol went past, so Harry and I had to split up."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "A patrol? Before their usual time?"

"We think it was an anomaly," Harry put in. "I think maybe they caught someone out past curfew earlier, so they were doing an extra sweep."

"Let's hope so. I don't enjoy the idea of needing to establish new patrol times," Hermione grumbled. "These were hard enough to figure out without a few Rangers getting caught. At least they were able to break away, though they really could have avoided the situation if only they'd-"

"You said you had something to tell us?"

Hermione blinked owlishly at the interruption, and she fixed Harry with a glare that showed her disapproval, but she accepted the change nonetheless. "Yes, I did," she said seriously. "I've sent for a few of the others, so they should be here soo-ah, there they are."

Three figures entered the tent, and Harry and Neville turned to greet them. Tonks of course waved at them with her usual grin, while Kingsley settled for a nod. Ron, on the other hand, came over and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Good to see you, mate," he said cheerfully. Harry noticed he seemed to avoid looking in Hermione's direction, although the same could be said of her as well. He wasn't sure if it was a good sign she'd called Ron in as well, or if it was a bad sign – for all of them. Still, Harry greeted Ron in return, and stepped back so he could welcome Neville as well.

"Wotcher, Harry," Tonks smiled, stepping towards him. Harry smiled back at her.

"Hello, Tonks. Where's Remus?"

Tonks waved a hand in dismissal. "It's his turn to watch Teddy during important meetings," she said, laughing. "I told him I'd fill him in later if I felt like it." Harry laughed as well, as Hermione finally began speaking.

"I really wish I could have called you all here for a social visit," she said slowly, although Harry doubted she had wanted to call Ron over in the first place. It seemed the redhead had put aside their argument for the time being, however, because he was watching Hermione intently as she spoke. "This time, though, it's not good news. Voldemort's found a new way to create Horcruxes…and this time, they know how to defend themselves."

For a moment, the room was silent. Then, "what?"

Hermione glanced at Harry, her expression grim. "You heard me. He created Horcruxes again."

"He knows we know how to destroy them, right?"

"That's not the problem." Hermione drew in a deep breath. "I don't know why it's such a surprise, really. I mean, look at what happened with you! It was only a matter of time before…"

"Hermione, please explain," Harry pleaded. Beside him, Ron suddenly tensed.

"You don't mean to say he…" he began. Hermione nodded, cutting him off.

"That is exactly what I mean, Ron," she replied in a small voice. "Voldemort has bound Horcruxes to some of his original Death Eaters."

"How do you know?" Harry stepped forward. He could hear his pulse pounding in his ears; fear he hadn't felt in a long time gripped him, narrowing his vision until he was solely focused on Hermione and the words she spoke.

"We received a mysterious patronus," Hermione said, moving to the stack of papers on the table she'd been working at. "Unfortunately, we were unable to track its owner down, and whoever it was managed to alter their voice, so there are no clues as to who it was from."

"What kind of patronus was it?" Kingsley's arms were folded, and he studied Hermione as she spoke, his expression unreadable.

She shook her head as Ron opened his mouth, stopping him before he spoke. "Before you ask, yes, I already checked with Remus and Tonks. The patronus was neither theirs nor a copy of theirs, as it looked very different from either of their patronuses. So unless you know anybody else with a wolf for a patronus..."

Harry wracked his brains, but he couldn't remember ever seeing someone else with a wolf patronus, evil or not. "And you trusted this patronus' message?" he asked.

"I didn't at first." Hermione's tone seemed offended that he'd even think she could be stupid enough to trust an unrecognized patronus. "But it was strange, and the fact that we've been researching Voldemort's attempt at immortality for so long…that I did my research. Unfortunately, our mysterious informant was right." She pulled out a piece of parchment, reading from it carefully. "Listen to this: 'Ivor Selwyn was taken into custody last night in an attempt to validate the information given us by the unidentified patronus. He was the first Eliminator we were able to get ahold of without risking loss of life or limb. Upon awakening in his cell, Selwyn became increasingly violent and we were forced to put him into a stasis spell until we were able to interrogate him.'" Hermione looked up. "Our Interrogation team wasn't able to get a whole lot of information – Selwyn shut down, even under some heavy treatment. We did manage to succeed with Legilimency, and before he was able to hide it all, we did get two words – Rookwood, and Horcrux." Harry blinked uncomprehendingly. Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Augustus Rookwood, Harry. He used to be a Death Eater, remember? After Voldemort took over, he became the head of the Eliminators, well, before he went missing, that is. I took the liberty of tracking his whereabouts leading up to his disappearance. Turns out, he didn't go missing; he's been in hiding."

"So this Rookwood…you think he's a Horcrux?" Neville asked, his expression thoughtful. "It's definitely possible…after all, Harry was a Horcrux before Voldemort tried to kill him."

Hermione nodded. "I'm sure of it. If you'll recall, Voldemort knows how to bind a Horcrux to a living being – he did it with Nagini – and I'm sure he'd figure out a way to bind a Horcrux to a person just as easily."

"Voldemort is not a fool; he knows humans aren't immortal," Kingsley said, his tone indicating his uncertainty. "He wouldn't rely on such a weak protection, would he?"

"Think about it. Yes, a wizard is very much mortal," Hermione agreed. "And it's impossible to make one live forever with a simple spell. But we've established that it would be easy to make a Horcrux out of a person, so it would be almost nothing to make a new Horcrux every time another was destroyed – although he still damages his soul every time he does so. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll destroy himself." She snorted angrily.

"Hermione," Harry murmured, reminding her to focus.

"Right." She glanced at him gratefully. "Anyways, we've established that he can create a new Horcrux for every one we destroy. However, these Horcruxes will be harder to destroy, because they can defend themselves. Before, there were protective spells put around inanimate objects, spells that, once broken, were useless. However, a wizard is able to defend himself, even going so far as to kill his attacker with one curse. Plus, it isn't a matter of simply tracking down the Horcrux and killing it. You have to catch it now."

"But who would be mad enough to allow themselves to be made into a Horcrux?" Tonks asked. She was pale, her eyes slightly horrified at the idea.

"Bellatrix would be mad enough," Ron muttered. Hermione nodded at him, agreeing. "But then again, this _is_ Voldemort we're talking about. He could easily force someone to become his Horcrux, or convince them that they are doing him a great service. Put a few protective wards around them himself, allow them to add their own protective measures, and suddenly he's got a near invincible Horcrux running around, keeping to the shadows."

"But those Horcruxes have adverse effects on whoever touches them," Harry pointed out. "Remember that locket?"

Hermione sighed. "I came to the conclusion that all of these Horcruxes – however many there are – have been overtaken by the soul fragment within. They aren't the same people anymore, Harry. They may still look and talk the same, but there will be significant personality damage, and maybe even slight physical damage. After all, that's how you got your scar."

Harry's fingers traced over the jagged scar on his forehead. "I never suffered a personality change," he argued, his hand dropping.

"Voldemort didn't know his soul piece was in you," Hermione countered. "Had he known, he would have been able to influence you much more than he did. Our fifth year, with all those visions and that inexplicable anger you felt at times…don't you remember how it felt? You said it felt like you were losing your mind, that there was something else controlling you."

His mind traced back to that year, and he remembered that feeling of exhilaration and anger as he, trapped in Nagini's body, struck again and again at Mr. Weasley. He remembered feeling excitement and burning rage when Voldemort did – and all of that was unintentional. "You're saying he could have influenced me to become darker had he known what I was?" he asked softly. Hermione set down the parchment.

"We were fortunate he never knew," she confirmed. "You would have lost a good deal of who you were had he known. The people he chooses to become his Horcruxes will never be quite the same, even if we were to figure out a way to destroy the Horcrux without destroying the host."

"Then you _are_ planning on killing these hosts," Kingsley stated. "You haven't mentioned any other ways."

"We must do what needs to be done," Hermione said defensively. "I don't like the idea of it, but it must be done."

"Do we know who these Horcruxes are? They could be anyone! There could be any number of them right now!" Neville put a steadying hand on Ron's shoulder, but the redhead shook it off. "How many does he have this time? Ten? Twenty? An army? When is it all going to end?"

"I don't know, Ronald," Hermione snapped. "I don't have all the answers."

"Well, isn't that lovely," Ron snarled back. "Nice of you to admit it at last." Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but was quickly cut off.

"That is enough!" The two whipped their gazes over to Harry, who stared at the two furiously. "I've had it with these arguments of yours. We've got enough problems with the war as it is, without you two idiots bickering amongst yourselves. I don't know what it is you're arguing about this time, but enough with the snapping at each others' throats. Ron, I know this all is overwhelming, but when has anything we've ever done been easy?" His best friend shifted uncomfortably, looking down at his feet. Harry turned to Hermione. "And you…you've helped us all tremendously, and the amount of information you've gotten is incredible. But you're losing sleep over it, and it's causing you to take it out on everyone around you. So I want you to take some time off. Find a good book to relax with – _not_ anything to do with all of this business – and calm. Down. That's an order," he added as an afterthought. Hermione glared at him, and for a moment, Harry felt like sinking back into the safety of the ground beneath him, although he forced himself to return her glare steadily. Finally, Hermione relented with a stiff nod. Being the chosen leader had its perks, he thought with a frustrated sigh.

"Thank you. I want the two of you to spend the afternoon talking with each other. No yelling or accusing. Just talking. Please. For the sanity of everyone in this tent, work this out. We can discuss what all of this means for the rebellion tomorrow. For now, let's just calm down," he said soothingly. His two friends nodded, Ron shooting Hermione a wary look as the brunette set aside her parchment and quills.

The situation having been defused, Hermione confirmed that she had told them everything she knew so far, and the group dispersed. Kingsley gave Harry an approving nod before slipping out of the tent, followed by Ron and Hermione while Tonks and Neville hung back.

"Those two have some serious talking to do," Tonks mused. "I hope they work out whatever their quarrel was this time. We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves. Not now. Not with this news we have now."

Harry shrugged. "It's no different than in the past," he said tiredly. "Whether it was me and Ron, or Ron and Hermione, we've always had a tendency to snap at each other. Like I told Neville, it will blow over in a week or so."

"For your sake, Harry, I hope it blows over sooner," Neville muttered. "They're going to drive you crazy sooner or later."

Harry laughed. "How do you know they haven't already?" he joked.

"Who do you think sent that patronus?" Tonks asked suddenly. Harry and Neville looked up at her, confused by the sudden topic change. "It's been eating away at me. I'm not sure if it's a trap of some sort, or if this person genuinely was trying to help but is unable to reveal themselves for some reason."

"If it were a trap, our information would have been wrong," Harry pointed out. "I don't have a clue as to who that wolf patronus belongs to. But Hermione did her research. We'll have to believe that Voldemort has indeed begun creating Horcruxes out of wizards now." He shuddered. "To think that such dark magic exists…it's terrifying. It was bad enough trying to hunt down the old Horcruxes, and now that there are hosts involved…"

"Things are going to get a lot darker and a lot more dangerous before this is all over," Neville agreed. "Hopefully we don't lose sight of who we are in the process."


End file.
